With the beginning of campaign season underway, this is the time to bring our concerns to the forefront of society’s, and the government’s, attention. The economy, immigration and gun control are the standard topics of debate, but one issue that sadly lacks representation is education.

Education reform and funding is neglected primarily because those who need it either can’t vote or make up a small percentage of voters – a trend that in turn has led to poor standards for prison and environmental preservation reform.

But America needs much more reform in its education than better funding for public schools and a decrease in the price of college tuition. We need an overhaul in the way we correct societal ignorance in the classroom.

Much of our socialization occurs at school and at home, but if we as a nation don’t capitalize on the opportunity public education gives us to teach tolerance to the next generations and educate them about the realities of inequality that are still present in our country, then we will continue to raise generations of ignorant and intolerant citizens.

I can’t believe how many of my classmates, professors and friends I have heard say that racism is no longer a problem in America. More often then not, those who I have heard make these statements are white and from families with above-average incomes.

It makes sense that they have not looked into the reality of racism in our country – or would rather not acknowledge it – because they have financially benefited from it since our country was founded and are not the subjects facing marginalization.

Slavery not only provided cheap labor that made the U.S. economy an international power, but it also ensured that racial minorities would have to fight to catch up in economic equality, civil rights, legal representation, and countless other societal and political factors.

In addition, I can’t believe I have heard people say – especially women – and seen in social media posts that they or women in general don’t need feminism.

If you are a woman and are happy with receiving 78 percent of the pay men receive for the same work, and don’t mind that 17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape, while 98 percent of rapists will never spend a day in prison, then you are entitled to disenfranchise yourself – but don’t drag me down with you.

It is pathetic and shameful that this kind of ignorance exists in our country, and if we had any compassion and dignity left, we would acknowledge intolerance and ignorance as a national issue, and work on the legislative level to bring about equality and acceptance.